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Coming from 50-year-old vines and a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is in the same ballpark as the 2015 yet shows a slightly more elegant, classic feel, which is very much in the style of the vintage. Beautiful notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, crushed rocks, tobacco, and lead pencil shavings as well as some smoky notes with time in the glass all flow to a deep, full-bodied, concentrated Saint-Julien that has fine tannin, flawless balance and integration, no hard edges, and a great finish. This brilliant wine from winemaker Jean-Louis Triaud will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThis is fantastic, offering lots of fresh tobacco and blackcurrants and undertones of hazelnuts and chocolate. Full-bodied with firm and chewy tannins, yet ever so polished and refined. One of the most structured St. Pierre’s in years. A blend of 73 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 21 per cent merlot and six per cent cabernet franc. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSAged for 14 months in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak and blended of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Saint-Pierre leaps from the glass with exuberant Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and cassis with hints of cigars, earth and violets with a waft of iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate has a firm frame of grainy tannins with fantastic energy and depth, finishing on a lingering chocolaty note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThis estate is the smallest and least-known cru classé in the St-Julien appellation, with a mere 17 hectares of vineyards with deep gravel soils. Most of these are not far from Beychevelle. This property has a complicated, fragmented history (owned by the same family that owns Gloria) and so was under the radar for decades. Investment in improving the vineyards and cellar began in 2005, and the wines have been over performing since 2014. New cellars debuted in 2016. The 2016 is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, and it’s spent 14 months in 50% new and 50% one year barrels. Lush, deep and structured, this brims with energy and aromas of cassis and tobacco.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2016 Saint-Pierre is deep garnet in color. It soars from the glass with expressive scents of cassis, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, plus hints of pencil shavings, tilled soil, and black truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black fruits, supported by grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, with an earthy finish.The Wine Independent | 94 TWIRipe and fruity while also having just the right amount of structure, this is a concentrated wine. It has depth and fine, elegant acidity, and is likely to be ready from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2016 Tronquoy-Lalande has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and black cherries with herbs, cigar box and damp soil. Medium to full-bodied, it offers good concentration and depth with firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe wine shows much palate depth and richness, with Merlot coming to the fore. Impressive body but with freshness too, if not among the top wines in terms of racy elegance. I also tasted a 2005, which was impressive but not quite as precise as the 2016 – proof of just how much the estate has improved over the last 10 years. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030Decanter | 93 DECThe aromas of violets and flowers are impressive in this with dark fruit underneath. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh and bright finish. Shows beautiful depth and resilience. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Tronquoy-Lalande has a concentrated bouquet featuring a more open fruit profile compared to the 2016 La Dame de Montrose, offering blackberry, raspberry and light cassis notes and revealing touches of cedar and incense with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and quite linear, leading into a nicely detailed, quite tensile finish. Another Saint-Estèphe that needs time, but this is a classy number. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis has a fairly intense beam of kirsch, blackberry paste and plum reduction flavors leading the way, supported by a wide swath of loam and tobacco leaf notes. There’s a bright chalky hint at the end giving this life while keeping it on the austere side. Should age nicely. Best from 2023 through 2034.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2016 Château Tronquoy-Lalande checks in as a blend of 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all aged 12 months in 30% new barrels. It offers a ripe, black-fruited, classic Saint-Estèphe profile of blackcurrants, plums, graphite, and tobacco leaf. This gives way to a ripe, rounded, impressively concentrated wine that has sweet tannins and a great finish. It will keep for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDDark tannins and rich, succulent fruit mark this wine made by the same team as Château Montrose. Black fruits and solid, concentrated tannins contrast with the acidity that still shows through strongly. The wine needs time and will be ready to drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2018 Pibran is fabulous, just as it was en primeur. Juicy, rich and expansive in this vintage, Pibran offers terrific richness and verve. Dark cherry, spice, new leather and cedar build as this stylish Pauillac shows off its considerable charms. The 2018 is unquestionably extroverted. It is also shamelessly delicious.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2018 Château Pibran emerges from a cooler, gravelly terroir in Pauillac and is close to an even split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all raised in 50% new oak. Lots of red, black, and blue fruits as well as lead pencil, violets, camphor, and smoked tobacco emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of freshness, ripe yet firm, polished tannins, and a great finish. This is another classic Pauillac that’s going to benefit from 3-6 years of bottle age (it’s far from unapproachable today) and keep for 20-25 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2024-2049)Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDBlackcurrant, blueberry, pencil-lead, clove and walnut-husk aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Nice minerality. Try from 2024 and onwards.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Pibran is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Merlot, matured for 18 months in barriques, 50% new and 50% one year old. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheerful scents of Morello cherries, mulberries and wild blueberries, giving way to a core of cassis, dark chocolate and violets, with a waft of woodsmoke. Medium-bodied, the palate is delicately styled with fantastic freshness and fine-grained tannins supporting the crunchy black fruit layers, finishing long and lifted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRich in both structure and fruit, this wine has ripe tannins and a full, generous texture that is given shape by full-bodied, black-fruit flavors. From the northern part of Pauillac, the wine is good for medium-term aging. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very tasty, enjoyable Pibran that comes from a cooler site than the main Pichon Baron wine, from gravel soils over a bed of limestone, and always the last for the team to harvest as was the case again in 2018. You can certainly feel the freshness and juice through the dark fruits – a wine that will be limbered up after just four or five years in bottle. 50% new oak. A yield of 37hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2018 Grand-Pontet is gorgeous and extroverted, just as it was en primeur. A blast of dark fruit, chocolate, mocha, leather and licorice hits the palate. Rich and resonant on the palate, the 2018 exudes raciness from start to finish. Soft curves add to the wine's considerable appeal. The 2018 really blossoms with a bit of air.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGUnusual blend for St-Emilion with a high proportion of Malbec, and there is no question that it comes through in a deeply spiced cinnamon and black pepper punch through the mid-palate. Different profile aromatically from the palate, with big tannins and a whoosh tick of fresh mint through the mid-palate, alongside cool blue fruit and a ton of black chocolate. A little less St-Emilion typicity perhaps, and the rich spice puts the focus on a slightly hard finish rather that salinity from the limestone soils (no doubt accentuated by low yields of 19hl/ha), but there is a lot to recommend, and it provides an enjoyable look at where St-Emilion might go in the future to cope with warmer vintages. Excellent violet rim. Jean-Philippe Fort is consultant at this property, which is owned by the Pourquet-Becot family. 90% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECPolished aromas of blueberry, dried lavender, cedar and dark chocolate. It’s full-bodied with firm, caressing tannins that frame a core of ripe fruit. 39% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 39% cabernet franc and 12% malbec. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Grand-Pontet—a blend of 39% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Cabernet Franc and 12% Malbec—comes prancing out of the glass with flamboyant notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by suggestions of cinnamon stick, cumin seed and ground cloves with a waft of unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bags of spicy black and blue fruit flavors, framed by velvety tannins and lovely freshness, finishing with a minty lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPLots of ripe black raspberry, cassis, and graphite notes emerge from the 2018 Château Grand-Pontet, another beautiful Saint-Emilion from this estate, which appears to be on an upward trajectory. With medium to full-bodied richness, silky, polished tannins, and a focused, elegant texture, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for a decade. If it gains more mid-palate depth as well as richness over the coming couple of years, it will warrant an even higher rating.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

This shows tons of well expressed brambly black fruits, fresh and full of juice, with the slatey minerality on the finish that I always love. This should be good value and there's no need to wait too long to get going. Small yields at 23hl/ha, and this isn't an organic property - the mildew impact was extremely widespread in 2018. 2% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Eric Boissenot consults. (Drink between 2026-2038)Decanter | 92 DECA chunky and powerful 2018 with lots of berry, chocolate and walnut character. Full body. Flavorful.James Suckling | 92-93 JSThis is a powerful wine, rich in tannins as well as blackberry fruits. With a good proportion of Malbec in the blend, the wine is dark in color and in tannin intensity. It needs plenty of aging and should not be drunk before 2023. Organic. ROGER VOSS Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThe 2018 Château La Tour De Mons is another elegant, classy Margaux that's already showing nicely. Lots of red and black currants, cedar pencil, dried flowers, and earthy tobacco define the bouquet, and it's medium-bodied, with nicely integrated tannins, no hard edges, and an outstanding finish. It's going to evolve gracefully for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDStylish, with a velvety texture to the mix of crushed plum and blackberry fruit, dried anise and singed alder. Perfumy through the finish, with the fruit showing good depth. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028. 6,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Beautifully textured and rich in black-currant flavors and tannins, this is a generous wine. The fruits and the dusty tannins partner each other well giving structure, concentration, a sense of poise and final freshness. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WECurrants, cloves, graphite and cigar box on the nose. Some pine and citrus zest, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Structured and vivid with plenty of tension. Lovely sweet fruit at the finish. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSRuby red in colour, with clove aromatics. Firm tannic structure, without having the 360-degree reach of the 2016s, but this is an enjoyable, well-balanced and well-judged St-Julien with power but careful extraction. Bright berry fruits, a little austere - at least right now - but plenty of potential. Drinking Window 2026 - 2044.Decanter | 94 DECRipe and focused, with a lovely core of steeped plum, fig and cassis notes laced liberally with graphite and applewood. A violet note chimes bright on the finish. Absolutely rock solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 7,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSMade by the stellar team at Léoville Barton and a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Langoa Barton sports a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a charming, medium to full-bodied, velvety-textured 2018 with terrific notes of red, blue, and black fruits as well as spice box, dried flowers, and a touch lead pencil. It has surprising up-front appeal, with ripe, velvety tannins and nicely integrated acidity, and it’s going to shine with just 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20+.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2018 Langoa Barton has a deep garnet-purple color and notions of ripe blackcurrants, fresh blackberries and kirsch with touches of bouquet garni, cedar chest and pencil lead plus a hint of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled and refreshing with bright, red fruit and herbal sparks lifting the black fruit and an approachable, chewy texture, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2018 Langoa Barton is succulent and racy right out of the gate. Inky red fruit, sweet floral notes, cedar and spice all mesh together effortlessly. This mid-weight, pliant Saint-Julien is every bit as seductive as it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Another killer Pomerol, the 2018 Château Montviel checks in as 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in plenty of new oak. This deep purple/ruby-hued beauty offers a gorgeous bouquet of cassis and black cherry fruits intermixed with lots of floral, chocolate, graphite, and cedary aromas and flavors. It has a slightly modern style at first, given its classy oak veneer, yet it still has textbook Pomerol finesse and elegance, plenty of earthy, complex, almost white truffle-like nuances, and outstanding length. It’s a beautiful wine. If you’re oak averse, give bottles 2-4 years and it should keep for 15+ years. (Drink between 2023-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDark cherries, blackberries, herbs and some earthy notes. Some ash, too. It’s full-bodied with a savory, fleshy palate, firm tannins and rather long finish. Needs a few years of aging, to polish the tannins and bring more balance. A little tight now. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Montviel is silky, expressive and impeccably balanced. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, mocha, new oak, leather and cedar are some of the nuances that flesh in the Montviel. Racy and yet understated, with silky tannins and lovely persistence, the 2018 has so much to recommend it. This is very nicely done.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis is very attractive and rich with sweet fruit and gourmet touches but without going overboard. 100% integral vinification in new ok barrels. A yield of 35hl/ha with 5ha of a 10.5ha dedicated to this 1st wine. The harvest took place between 19 September and 3 October. (Drink between 2026-2034)Decanter | 90 DEC

This is full and plush for an Haut-Medoc with medium to full body. Lots of blackberries and fresh herbs with redcurrants, too. Chewy, but polished. Give it two or three years to soften. Best after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSDark brambles on the nose. Great intensity and sculpted fruit here, this has some dark fruits and definite liquorice aspects to the palate but feels really precise and controlled. It’s smooth with soft tannins and good presence until the end. Also has great freshness and cooling mint cordial tang on the finish. I love it. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2019 Beaumont, cropped at 50hL/ha, has a lovely, delineated bouquet of blackberry, briary and light tobacco notes. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, and not quite as supple as before, though I appreciate the tangy seaweed note toward the finish. Just what you want from a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis estate has produced a fine, elegant wine. Black fruits and a hint of chocolate do not detract from the firm structure that is a fine passport for the future. Dense, dry but never excessive, this is a wine for medium-term.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEBlack cherries, plums, Asian spices, and sandalwood notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Beaumont, a nicely concentrated, medium to full-bodied Haut-Médoc with good depth of fruit and juicy acidity. This château always makes a solid wine, and the 2019 is no exception.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2019 Beaumont has turned out very well, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, pencil shavings and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and melting tannins, it’s charming and nicely balanced. It’s the finest wine from this large château that I can remember tasting.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Milk chocolate, cherry fruit, plums and blackcurrant sweets on the nose. This has a lovely texture, tannins are on the ripe, plush, chewy side and they do completely coat the mouth but this has a lovely perfumed aromatic to the fruit profile on the palate. Feels pretty, but also quietly powerful. Dense and driven still with a touch of austerity around the edges towards the finish. Give it time to soften more but there is lovely fruit definition here. Good winemaking. Eric Boissenot consultant. Tasted twice. (Drink between 2023-2041)Decanter | 93 DECAromas of ripe berries and baking spices with hints of hazelnuts, leather and bark. Medium-bodied and tight, with chewy tannins and a velvety texture. Compact and firm with chocolatey undertones. Needs some time to open up. 55% cabernet sauvignon and 45% merlot. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2019 Château de Camensac is one of the best produced at the estate. Still a little bashful on the nose, it unfolds to offer black fruit, Early Grey tea and tobacco, all beautifully defined and focused. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, and quite linear, yet full of vigor, leading to a spicier finish than was suggested out of barrel. Bon vin!Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2019 Camensac has turned out nicely, exhibiting aromas of blackcurrants, licorice, tobacco leaf and loamy soil, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy and nicely balanced palate with lively acids and powdery structuring tannins. This will provide classy drinking after a few years in bottle to round out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2019 Chasse-Spleen is very perfumed on the nose, offering vivid brambly red fruit, leather, undergrowth and cedar aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive, with a sappy opening and fine acidity. Lightly spiced, showing plenty of substance on the finish. While not the most consistent estate, Chasse-Spleen has it in its grasp to make great wines, and the 2019 is one of them.Vinous Media | 93 VMWell judged Chasse Spleen with a ton of personality and flavour. Always one of the more confident and muscled wines in the appellation, this stops a little short as the tannins close in but there is no shortage of personality to get stuck in to here, and a thoroughly attractive juice that runs right through the body of the wine. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 48hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 92 DECAromas of cassis, black cherries, licorice, dried tobacco and wet earth. Some leafy character, too. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and vibrant, juicy fruit character. Firm and compact with hints of crushed stones in the finish. A little timid at the end. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSOffering up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil lead and licorice, the 2019 Chasse-Spleen is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish with a very civilized expression of Moulis-typical grip. Forget it for a decade and follow it for the next two.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Ripe and heady nose filled with deep black cherry aromas and touches of rose petals, with some dark chocolate and liquorice nuances. So smooth and finely textured on the palate, tannins gently grip the mouth giving a fresh cola, mint and cool blue fruit flavour that expands and becomes more expressive as it goes from the beginning to the end. Lifted and well structured, such a great framework of ripe fruits, cooling freshness and integrated tannins. On the heady style, deeper rather than full of acidity, with a real lingering flavour of mint-edged fruit at the end suggests this has a long life ahead but with great drinkability soon. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThis is a very solid Moulis with spice, walnut, nutmeg and currant character on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied and chewy. Shows depth of fruit and structure. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Branas Grand Poujeaux is a charming, expressive wine, exhibiting aromas of rich berry fruit, spices, dark chocolate and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and sensual palate. Layered and seamless, it’s framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids. This is one of the flashier, more concentrated wines produced in Moulis, but it carries its ambitious vinification well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A rich expressive nose so much going on here, ripe fruits, dried fruit, pepper, cinnamon, herbs and spices. A lovely combination of red and black fruits with tons of liquorice, cinnamon, mint and eucalyptus. So chewy, fruity, dense and plush, but great acidity. Complex and multifaceted with a really long length and good lift at the end. Give this time but will be great. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2038Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Charmail rolls out of the glass with notions of plum preserves, baked cherries and fruitcake plus hints of spice box, gingerbread and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has bags of spicy black fruit preserves on offer with a fine-grained frame and just enough freshness, finishing long and harmonious. Nicely done!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThe 2019 Charmail has an understated bouquet that unfolds with aeration, revealing pretty red berry fruit, rose petal and crushed stone. I admire the focus here. The palate is rounded, sweet and nicely poised, with nice grip. A little oak toward the finish suggests this will age with style. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92 VMOne of the top Haut-Médocs out there, the 2019 Château Charmail comes from a great terroir north of Saint- Estèphe and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby/purple, with a great nose of red and black currants, toasted spice, tobacco, and dried flowers, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rocking core of sweet fruit, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure but will shine for 10-12 years, if not longer. It’s well worth a case purchase.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis has a perfumed nose of wild strawberries, currants, lavender, chocolate orange and praline. Medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Pretty and polished with a fresh finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

The deep garnet-purple colored 2019 Carlmagnus bursts from the glass with ripe black and blue fruit notions of plums preserves, blueberry compote and blackberry pie with hints of hoisin, licorice and clove oil plus a touch of dark chocolate. The full-bodied, rich, seductive palate is laden with spicy black fruits and a beautifully velvety texture, finishing with a peppery lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThe 2019 Carlmagnus has a perfumed nose of ample black fruit, spicebox and light cedar aromas; the oak here is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied and quite fleshy, with supple tannins and plush red cherries and wild strawberry mixed with desiccated orange peel toward the finish. This has matured nicely in barrel.Vinous Media | 92 VMAromatic and herbal on the nose, sweetly fruited with strawberries and cherries but with this edge of dried herbs - rosemary and thyme. Gorgeous clarity - precise, clean, bountiful, generous and bright. Great acidity and just clarity of fruit - feels polished and sleek with excellent juice on the mid palate and a lovely chared smokiness that gives a striking detail to the overall profile. Well-textured tannins are grippy but also softly chewy giving a dense and plentiful mouthful but with charm - nothing too much. Drink now and enjoy the youthful vibrancy but this will be good over time too. Just a touch of liquorice spice on the finish giving texture and nuance. The best grapes from the 40ha under vine go into this wine. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 92 DECDark cherries, mulberries, licorice, olives and mushrooms on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins. Soft and fruity with a supple finish. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 90 JS

Cassis, mulberries, tobacco, cedary oak, and violet notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Desmirail, another beautiful, medium to full-bodied, balanced, just seamless beauty. Based on 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, it can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlack fruit, chocolate, cedar, walnut, graphite and sweet spices on the nose. Medium body with fine, sleek tannins. Elegant and structured with a dark core of fruit on the center-palate and a flavorful finish. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSBramble hedgerow on the nose, smooth texture but with tannins that grip and take hold but are filled with chewy, lively juice. They really do cover the entire mouth but they’re vibrant and succulent and just very playful expanding outwards, filling the mouth with no harshness. It’s on the extravagant opulent end of the spectrum but with energy at the same time. I really enjoy it. One to drink now and just enjoy for it’s boldness and brightness. Drinking Window 2023 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Desmirail has improved on the nose of well-defined blackberry, raspberry and crushed rose petal scents, elegant and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crisp line of acidity. Taut and quite linear toward the persistent finish, which will need 3–5 years to fully assimilate the oak. This Desmirail should give up to 20 years of drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2019 Desmirail opens in the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, sweet soil tones and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it’s a charming, polished wine, with a fleshy core of fruit, refined tannins and lively balancing acids. This elegant, beautifully made wine has turned out very well.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

This is gorgeous, with wonderful finesse and complexity. It has a texture of the finest silk. Full-bodied, yet so reserved and beautiful with currant, berry, chocolate and bark in the aftertaste. Under-the-radar wine. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep purple-black in color, the 2019 Milens sings of crushed blueberries, stewed blackberries and black cherry compote with nuances of fragrant soil, violets and aniseed plus a hint of clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is decadently juicy, framed by bold freshness and plush tannins, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP(Chateau Milens) Impressive red and blue fruits, flowers, sandalwood, and spicy wood emerge from the 2019 Château Milens, another medium-bodied, elegant, nicely textured wine in the vintage. I like its tannins, the balance is spot on, and it already offers considerable charm. It’s beautifully done. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years or so. (Drink between 2022-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2019 Milens has a lovely, very pure bouquet of perfumed red cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents, marmalade notes emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and ripe, leading to a soothing, caressing, mocha-tinged finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Lots of cassis, graphite, chalky minerality, and sappy herb notes emerge from the 2019 Château Pibran, a rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Pauillac. I love its purity of fruit, the balance is spot on, and the tannins, while present, are perfectly ripe and polished. It’s not a blockbuster and shows the more elegant style of the vintage, but it’s a gorgeous, classy Pauillac that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have 25+ of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Pibran is such an attractive wine. Just as it did en primeur, Pibran offers up a beguiling mix of bright red fruit intermingled with expressive floral accents. I especially admire the energy here. The 2019 will provide plenty of pleasure over the coming decades, give or take. It’s an absolute delight.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGJuicy and ripe, with plum, blackberry and black currant paste flavors that have good energy as they move along, picking up singed alder, cast iron and tobacco accents along the way. Approachable but will develop a bit more, too. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2032. 2,077 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAromas of black cherries, blackberries, cloves, black tea, wet earth and graphite. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, smooth tannins. Nicely balanced, with a compact core of dark fruit. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 91 JSThe 2019 Pibran offers up aromas of plums, sweet berries, loamy soil and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, with polished tannins and a succulent core of fruit, it’s a charming, giving wine from a cooler site than Pichon Baron, with limestone soils and a higher proportion of Merlot in the blend.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

This is delicious, a serious step up from the Reynon within the same stable, and speaks to the influence that terroir has on a wine - this is slate and crushed granite showing grip through the palate, and the citrus has plenty of zest to give it focus and lift. Juicy finish also, excellent wine from Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu. 25% new oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECThe late founder Denis Dubourdieu was the master of white wine in Bordeaux. So it is pleasing that this wine should be so fine. Subtly rich, with generous white fruits, ripeness and concentration, the wine is developing well. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2019 Clos Floridene Blanc has an almost identical bouquet to the one I encountered from barrel sample, featuring attractive pear and apple blossom scents and hints of yellow plum with lovely definition. The palate is well balanced and supported by a fine spine of acidity, if maybe less tangy than I recall. Nectarine and white peach emerge toward a finish that delivers all the length you need. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91 AGSliced apples, pears, white peaches and lemons on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with tangy, lemony acidity and a supple, fruity palate. 55% semillon and 45% sauvignon blanc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JSThe 2019 Blanc reveals an enticing nose of fresh lime juice, yuzu zest and pink grapefruit with wafts of coriander seed and shaved almonds. The medium-bodied palate has a seriously racy line of freshness cutting through the intense citrus layers, finishing on a chalky note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

Aromas of redcurrants, flowers and spices, such as nutmeg. Some cherries, too. It’s full-bodied, yet racy and energetic. Chewy tannins. Structured. One of the best Cos Labory in a long time. This needs three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Cos Labory remains rather brawny, but it certainly has a ton of character. Black cherry, plum, gravel, licorice and scorched earth add to an impression of rusticity. Even so, there is plenty of depth and more than enough energy to support many years of fine drinking.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGA Cru Classé that in recent years has clearly been striving to catch up with its 1855 neighbours. It remains far less polished than the other classified growths in the appellation, but that gives it a charm all of its own. There are plenty of firm tannins here, with cassis and bilberry fruits, along with clear austerity that is going to need a few more years to soften. A serious wine with a sense of identity, takes its time to reveal its hand and may move up when retasted in bottle. Tasted twice one week apart. (Drink between 2026-2043)Decanter | 92 DECA classic Saint-Estèphe nose of darker currants, damp earth, leafy herbs, and cedar emerges from the 2019 Château Cos Labory, a medium-bodied, balanced 2019 with good mid-palate concentration, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It deserves 3-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90+ JDThe 2019 Cos Labory reveals inviting aromas of plums, blackcurrants and loamy soil, followed by a medium-bodied, supple and elegantly fleshy palate that’s framed by fine, powdery tannins and succulent acids. Open and charming for a young Saint-Estèphe, it will drink well with minimal bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Rich nose full of savoury elements, black truffle and black pepper. The palate texture is lovely, seriously smooth but with such depth and layers of cassis, blackberries, raisins, cinnamon and mint. Feels classy and elegant with lashings of ripe fruit, great acidity and restrained power. Such a great wine, powerful but controlled with a long finish. Serious concentration from start to finish and such complexity. Generous and juicy. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 94 DECSweet berries and cherries in the nose with some tobacco and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a juicy finish. Second wine of Sociando-Mallet. Give it a year or two to soften.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG(Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Green bell pepper, eucalyptus, dark chocolate and perfumed cherries and blackcurrants on the nose - so much aromatic intensity. Immediate impact on the palate with weighty tannins that are ample and mouthcoating giving the softly sweet raspberry and red cherry flavours structure and grip. A juicy core is offset by hints of wood spice which linger on the finish so this needs more time but there is excellent vibrancy and life here and strong markers of the vintage and terroir. (Drink between 2026-2046)Decanter | 94 DECSpices, such as cloves and white pepper, with violets and dark fruit follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins and a polished yet intense finish. Open tannins. An ash-like undertone to it. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated second wine, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is dense purple. with a promising bouquet of cassis, cedary spice, tobacco leaf, and background oak. It picks up some classic Graves scorched earth notes as it sits in the glass and is medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. A serious, impressive wine, it will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBarrel Sample. As one of the two second wines from this organic estate, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates this wine. It has structured black currant fruits as well as a beautiful pure line of acidity. The structure, while there, is open and integrated, meaning the wine will age well over the medium-term. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WERipe and silky, with alluring warmed cassis and mulled plum flavors and a red licorice accent. The finish, which is carried by lightly singed cedar and grilled savory notes, lets the fruit have the upper hand. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2031. 6,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMore serious than the forward Les Hauts de Smith, the 2019 Le Petit Haut Lafitte contains only 40% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. Exhibiting aromas of crème de cassis, sweet berries, cocoa nib, pencil shavings and loamy soil, it’s medium to full-bodied, lively and concentrated, with a more structured, reserved profile but more incipient complexity too.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

The 2020 Beauregard is gorgeous. Dark, ample and expressive, the 2020 offers tremendous depth and textural intensity from start to finish. Black cherry, gravel, incense, tobacco, espresso and chocolate all race out of the glass. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2020 remains wonderfully fresh and vibrant. It’s a superb wine by any measure.Vinous Media | 94 VMA rich and chewy red ith lots of blackberry, chocolate, nutmeg and hazelnut character. Medium-bodied with lots of tannins, too. Needs time to soften. Extracted, but will come true with bottle age. From organically grown grapes. 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 94 JSShowing beautifully, the 2020 Château Beauregard displays a pure, precise, elegant, medium to full-bodied style that stays compact and focused. Giving up lots of ripe black cherries, blackberries, leafy herbs, graphite, and chalky minerality, it has ripe, finely polished tannins, remarkable purity, and outstanding length. It needs to be forgotten for 4-6 years and, I suspect, will have 20-25 years of overall longevity. It’s a pretty, pure, elegant, incredibly impressive Pomerol.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDA medicinal and herbal nose full of savoury notes; sage, blackcurrants, tomato leaf, cherries and raspberries. Fine tannins meld with bright and vibrant red fruit on the palate with a gentle acidity alongside spice and fragrance from the Cabernet Franc. Open and generous.Decanter | 93 DEC

A full-bodied, firm and intense red with blackcurrants, toasted walnuts, violets, smoked paprika and dried herbs on the nose. Sturdy frame from firm yet polished tannins. Powerful and wonderfully integrated. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSI loved the 2020 Château Bellevue, and this might be the finest vintage I’ve tasted from this address. Lots of cassis and blue fruits as well as toasted spice, chocolate, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a great texture, ripe tannins, and a nice mix of freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94+ JD

A brilliant success for this property in the ascendant, the 2020 Berliquet opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of warm spices and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s vibrant and dynamic, with polished tannins, a bright spine and a long, elegantly chalky finish. It represents another step up for Berliquet, which will soon benefit from a new winery.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBlackberry with charcoal and dark earth aromas that follow through to a medium to full body with fruit, iron and moss flavors. It’s structured and well-formed with excellent balance of acidity. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSAnother brilliant Saint-Emilion in the vintage, the 2020 Château Berliquet is mostly Merlot yet includes close to a third Cabernet Franc, which no doubt contributes to its elegant, finesse-driven, floral character. It’s incredibly pure and classy, with notes of red and blue fruits, sappy spring flowers, graphite, and baking spices all emerging on the nose. These carry to a medium-bodied, ultra-fine, pure, seamless 2020 that offers pleasure today and will offer pleasure in 15+ years as well. This wine is never the biggest or richest in a vintage, but it shines for its purity, balance, and elegance. It’s beautifully done.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDGorgeous fragrance on the nose, really so inviting and scented. Smooth and supple, crisp and fresh, lovely purity of expression here, still quite subtle and delicate, salty, tangy, wild herbs, liquorice, clove and dark chocolate. Not bright in so much as the fruits are quite dark - blackcurrant and cherry, but such concentration with a lightness of touch. Very well worked, focused, pure, detailed, decisive and forward with chalky tannins, expressive of terroir. Lovely style on show here. Another amazingly good wine from this stable in 2020.Decanter | 93 DECA big wine with rich tannins and a dense structure, the wine is solid, the clay soil showing both in the wine’s ripeness and its power. It is a fine wine, concentrated and with layers of black plum flavors. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WENicely rendered, with a fresh, focused core of damson plum and red currant coulis laced with a floral edge and backed by a refined chalky note. The finish features warm tobacco accents to the blossom notes. A restrained style. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2035. 3,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2020 Berliquet is another step in a direction favoring finesse over the burly power that often marked the wines of the past. Delicate and nuanced, with pretty floral top notes, this mid-weight Saint-Émilion is a charmer. Drink it over the next decade or so.Vinous Media | 92 VM

An excellent white Carbonnieux with sliced-lemon, lime and mineral character, as well as hints of citrus seeds. It’s medium-to full-bodied with lots of bright acidity and a flavorful finish. Minerally at the end.James Suckling | 93-94 JSCrisp and tight with fine citrus flavors, the wine is beautifully proportioned with textured, zesty acidity. It shows balance between its structure and its fruits that will only get better as it matures.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEOne of the benchmark wines for white Pessacs, and it has succeeded here. Plenty of curling aromatics out of the glass, a lovely grip and bounce. Good stuff. A yield of 47hl/ha. 25% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2020 Carbonnieux Blanc is a very pretty wine. Bright Sauvignon Blanc notes give the 2020 its distinctive aromatic signatures, while the Sémillon adds just enough mid-palate creaminess to hold it all together. Lemon confit, white flowers, sage, mint and tomato leaf linger nicely.Antonio Galloni | 90-92 AGThe 2020 Carbonnieux Blanc delivers loads of zesty sparks of yuzu and lime peels over a core of green apples, fresh grapefruit and crushed rock with a hint of wild thyme. The medium-bodied palate is crisp and refreshing, offering a great intensity of citrusy flavors with a chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP